Columbus marks calendar for August visit from DNC; senators support Ohio convention bids

By: Jessica Wehrman

The Columbus Dispatch - July 03, 2014 11:09 AM

Representatives from the Democratic National Committee will be in Columbus in
early August to see if the city is a good fit for the 2016 Democratic National
Convention.

The DNC Thursday announced the schedule for its site visits for the 2016
convention, beginning in late July and ending in September. The DNC hopes to have a
site selected by the end of this year.

Columbus will host its visit August 6 and 7. Cleveland, which is also vying
to host the Democratic National Convention, will get a visit Aug. 4 and 5.

Birmingham, Ala., New York, N.Y., Philadelphia, Pa. and Phoenix, Ariz., will
also get visits by the DNC’s Technical Advisory Committee, led by DNC CEO Amy Dacey.

Cleveland is one of two finalists to host the 2016 Republican National
Convention as well, competing against Dallas. RNC officials visited Cleveland earlier this
week.

Sens. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, meanwhile, are also making it clear
that, regardless of the political party, they want to Ohio to be a host in 2016.

They issued a joint statement Thursday morning expressing support for Ohio landing a
convention.

"2016 could be a historic year for political conventions in Ohio," the senators said. "We stand
together ready to offer our full support in bringing the Republican Convention to Cleveland and the
Democratic Convention to either Cleveland or Columbus. For us, it's not about being a Democrat or
Republican -- it's about showcasing the vibrancy of Ohio's cities and bringing further economic
development to our state."

Brown, a Democrat, and Portman, a Republican, have offered their support to both city's
bids.

Ohio has hosted five political conventions. Cleveland hosted the Republican Convention in 1924
and 1936 and Cincinnati hosted the Democratic Convention in 1880 and 1856 and the Republican
Convention in 1876.